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As an expat, is it possible to ride in the Philippines jeepney?
thedude
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As an expat, is it possible to ride in the Philippines jeepney?
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I've been doing it for the last five years. The biggest complications are the stoop (everyone needs to bend when boarding or alighting due to the low roofs, but I am literally bent double and looking at the ground) and the narrow aisles (I always manage to tread on someone's foot and if I'm sat down, my feet stick out far). This one is uncharacteristically empty, the photo was taken on a quiet Sunday afternoon, but you can imagine what it's like when full both sides: My feet are UK size 11 or Euro 45, it's actually very hard to get good shoes here because most only go up UK 10/Euro 44 so I spend a lot of time wearing trainers which have more flexibility. Size 8 is big for a typical Filipino. The size of feet isn't the only problem. Most jeepneys have a maximum seating capacity of 17 or 21, though there are some long enough to accommodate 25 and some rather shorter. For example, a 21-seater will have the driver and two passengers in front, and nine passengers on each of the rear benches. Sounds simple, but those capacities are based on typical backside size of a slim 156cm/5'2" person, whilst Filipinos no longer eat a diet mainly consisting of chicken or fish with rice because there are McDonald's, Burger Kings, and Jollibees on almost ever street and in every Shopping Centre. As a result, the fatter Filipino is becoming more and more common, and jeepney drivers don't understand the meaning of “maximum capacity". This means that if the capacity is 21, they insist on cramming 21 in, even if that 21 includes my big, British arse and several Filipinos who've had too many Jollibee Champs or BK Whoppers, so the overcrowding is not only uncomfortable, it's dangerous. It's further complicated in Olongapo, which used to be home to a US naval base, and Angeles City, which used to house Clark Air Force Base. During the times of the US military presence, large red light districts grew up; and these still exist to serve the tourist trade. As a result, the gene pools of Olongapo and Angeles contain a healthy dose of American G.I., meaning that jeepney overcrowding there is acute. If you can cope with the game of Sardines, jeepneys are a cheap and effective way to get about. The main thing to know is that unless you board at a terminal where there are fare collectors as you get in, you take your seat then your fare gets passed down the vehicle to the driver in a chain of hands, and if there is change, it comes back to you the same way. Even around Makati City where I live, where there are lots of expats and Foreign tourists, it is relatively rare for them to ride jeepneys, so you might get a look or two. They especially seem surprised if you know the game and contribute to the passing of the fares. When you get seated, you just need to hold out your fare and say loudly, “Bayad po!” and your money will find its way to the front. There are not regular stops like buses in most countries, when you need to get out, call out, “Para po!” and/or knock on the ceiling and the driver will pull over. Some jeepneys, not many though, have a string running the length of the ceiling which you pull to light a signal light for the driver to pull over. There is a move starting to modernise the jeepney system and the vehicles, this is an e-Sakay electric jeepney that runs from Mandaluyong City Hall into the main business area of Makati: As you can see, this is much more like a normal bus, it's wider and taller which makes getting on and off much easier. Being electric, they are also silent and fume-free; and the large windows make them much better ventilated. They even have phone charging points. One thing that does not change, though, is peak-time overcrowding. These modern vehicles are also operated differently, instead of the driver's income depending on the number of passengers he carries, they are salaried and much better off than most jeepney drivers. The vehicles are also properly maintained, which the traditional jeepneys are very often not. They belch dark, black diesel fumes, they often have dodgy electrics and run at night with inadequate lighting or even no lighting, and as for the tyres: I took this photo just yesterday, and it is by no means uncommon. This tyre has already gone bald once, been re-treaded and gone bald again. It's rainy season at the moment which means that it pisses hard with rain for several hours of the typical day, and the jeepney fleet still runs on racing slicks. Thinking of it, this might more than the cramped conditions be why westerners tend to steer clear and use Grab instead (Grab is a service like Uber or Lyft), it's much more expensive but infinitely safer. I was once in a jeepney which had a steering failure and coasted into the metal rails at the side of the road. Another time, a passenger was illegally hanging in the back of a jeepney (they stand on the rear step and hold onto a bar just inside the door) when the step gave way and fell off. How that guy escaped falling under the car behind I will never know. I'll end this post with a little anecdote. I was recently travelling with my wife in a Guadalupe-Cartimar jeepney during a pissing-hard rainstorm when I mischievously whispered into her ear, “The good thing about riding a packed jeep is that there so much noise and smell of sweat that you can fart and nobody knows.” “What?” she replied, “Did you hear me?” Read into that what you will…
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You can ride any public utility vehicle including jeepneys. Be friendly and you won’t find it difficult. The main problem with jeepneys is their size for big and tall people. The roof may keep you from straightening your head in an erect position. For short distances, or short trips, this is fine, bu for long trips this is a nightmare. The size of your hips might be a problem when you are big as drivers decide beforehand how many should sit on a bench and people are forced to sit hard and firm on the bench. You might end up half of your butt on the bench and the other half floating in the air. Once again for long trips, this is also a nightmare. The vehicle can be so crammed and movement of your legs not possible in the provinces as the vehicle can be full of goods and people could sit in temporary benches placed in the middle of the aisle. Once on a long trip, you tend to freeze. Jeepneys are good for the young traveller. It is a no, no for older people. You can ask the driver to contract the jeepney for the experience. For daily commute, you might have second thoughts.